A display device switchably displaying different shapes, etc., on the same display surface is known (see, e.g., Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. 61/25002). This display device is composed of two light sources, two light source-polarizing panels respectively provided in front of the light sources and having polarization directions perpendicular to each other, and two display-polarizing panels which are overlapped and provided in front of the light source-polarizing panels and have polarization directions perpendicular to each other and each of which has a light transmitting portion formed by cutting out a shape or a letter/character to be displayed. The device is configured as a display switching lamp which switches the display by switching a turned-on light source between the two light sources.
Since the display device disclosed in Japanese Examined Utility Model Application Publication No. 61/25002 switchably displays different shapes, etc., on the same display surface, the display surface requires only a small space and clear display is obtained with a simpler configuration than the conventional display switching lamp used for the same purpose.